There are always questions that revolve around dentistry and your dental treatment. Please feel free to take a look at some of the frequently asked questions and the answers which we give.

Q - Why do my Gums bleed?

A- This is Gingivitis. Bleeding gums are never normal. They indicate a level of infection. The extent of infection can only be assessed with an examination.

Q - What is Periodontal Disease?

A -  When we examine your mouth one of the conditions we are looking for is periodontal disease or gum disease. We measure this with a special calibrated probe. Periodontal disease is where the attachment between the tooth and the underlying bone is reduced. This is in response to bacteria which accumulates at the gum margins. If this bacteria is not removed some of it will harden and cause calculus or tartar. Further bacteria will accumulates below these calculus deposits causing a break down of the attachment. Irrespective of how much you brush it is not possible to remove these deposits. It must be removed by ultrasonic or hand instrument. Once removed it allows you to brush thoroughly and prevent further loss of attachment.

When we examine your mouth we score each section.  

      A score of ‘0’ means there is no loss of attachment and no inflammation.

      A score of ‘1’ indicates bleeding on probing and this is gingivitis.

      A score of ‘2’ indicates gingivitis and means there is some type of plaque retaining factor such as calculus or the margin of a filling

      A score of ‘3’ indicated there is a loss of attachment which is greater than 4 mm. This is Periodontal Disease.

 The pricing on the NHS for the treatment of periodontal disease is a little unfortunate. Should there be a score of ‘3’ in just one sextant this would place the treatment costs in to a band 2, which may be unfair but none the less the way in which the NHS is structured. If it was treated privately we could introduce a leeway which is not possible on the NHS as treatment must be calculated and charged completely accurately. The costing is not in anyway connected with the length of time taken to carry out treatment, it is based purely on the level of disease present.

After all the deposits have been removed it is essential that you maintain meticulous oral hygiene as deposits of calculus can reform in 24 hours. It is for this reason why this treatment is necessary at 6 monthly intervals for a majority of patients, myself included. However it is possible, particularly using the newer family of electric tooth brushes to maintain a completely plaque free surface and this eliminates the disease completely

Q - Is Amalgam bad for my health?

A- No. There are no scientific studies to show that there has been any damage to health caused by metal fillings. Allergies are possible but extremely rare.

Q - What are the different ways in which I can fill a gap in my teeth?

A- The different ways to fill a gap in your teeth are with Dentures, Implants and Bridge work.

Q - What are crowns?   What sort of crown can I have?

A - Where a tooth has become very broken down or is un-aesthetic it may not be possible to place a restoration inside it. Under these circumstance a crown can be made.  

The best type of crown is a Gold Crown. This is because gold is strong in thin cross section so very little tooth substance needs to be removed. Also over the years as we brush the margins of a gold crown, it burnishes onto the tooth, improving the fit. The big drawback to a gold crown is that many patients do not find the appearance acceptable and the vast majority of patients would not want a gold crown on a tooth that shows. To overcome the appearance factor Tooth Coloured Crowns were developed. Here the tooth is reduced more than with a gold crown so that a precious metal thimble can be made on to which is fused porcelain. The NHS will provide for a tooth coloured crown on front teeth but not on back teeth. The drawback of a tooth coloured crown is that greater tooth removable is required and in some cases in back teeth this may not be possible.  

The NHS does provide for a crown on back teeth made from a non precious metal alloy. The disadvantage of this type of crown is that greater tooth reduction is required as the material is neither as strong nor as malleable as gold. The cost however on the NHS is almost the same as gold or tooth coloured crown privately.

 NHS - £198 

Private Crown - £240

One of the drawbacks of tooth coloured crowns is that they can look lifeless. This can be partially overcome when the crown is made privately by introducing more than one shade as natural teeth tend to be darker at the neck of the tooth and this two tone effect gives the tooth more of a lifelike appearance.

Finally it is possible to fuse porcelain on to a ceramic rather than a metal thimble. This gives a very lifelike appearance and maybe the right choice when a single front tooth is being crowned. The cost of an all ceramic crown is £420.

Q- Does Bleaching damage my teeth?

A - No it doesn't

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact the surgery at any time where the staff will be happy to help anyway they can.